Oklahoma City’s FAA Academy Expected to Go Dark By the End of the Month

The FAA’s training academy in Oklahoma City may soon go dark if the government shutdown drags on. According to industry organizations, the academy will run out of cheddar in less than two weeks, halting the hiring and training of new controllers at a time when the system is already short-handed.

“We’ve stopped hiring air traffic controllers when we need them more than ever,” commented National Air Traffic Controllers Association President Nick Daniels. “In 12 days from now, the Oklahoma City Academy shuts down. The funding runs out for that. And it’s going to put in a whole other level of strain, and it’s not like we get to recover in a day or a week.”

The FAA has previously warned that a shutdown lasting more than two weeks could delay the training pipeline by a year or more. That may sound dramatic, but it’s true; the agency relies on a continuous flow of new hires from its Oklahoma City campus, and once that stops, there’s no quick fix.

Since the shutdown began, reports have surfaced of short staffing across multiple control centers. Some towers have gone all the way down to ‘ATC Zero’, and others have slowed traffic to compensate. Controllers are still required to report to work, but without pay until the government reopens… and you can imagine the reaction. Sick calls have increased, and the union says the situation is nearing a breaking point.

Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy is also unhappy with the situation, but for different reasons. He has publicly acknowledged his frustrations with controllers refusing to work without pay, saying that “We need more controllers, but we need the best and the brightest, the dedicated controllers, and if we have some on our staff that aren’t dedicated like we need, we’re going to let them go.”

The one thing both sides seem to agree on is that the standoff needs to end. Union members have launched public demonstrations at major airports, from Chicago O’Hare to LaGuardia, handing out flyers and urging travelers to pressure lawmakers for change.

“We are the rope in this tug-of-war game that’s going on. But our focus remains on keeping America safe,” Daniels continued.

FMI: www.faa.gov